The U.S. consumer market continues to grow in diversity and multicultural marketing is your gateway to build brand loyalty and sales among diverse groups. It’s a necessary strategy for brands looking to establish real, genuine connections with consumers.
Here are some ways multicultural marketing can help your brand remain relevant when trying to connect with diverse audiences.
What Is Multicultural Marketing?
Multicultural marketing places an emphasis on connecting with diverse audiences, specifically those whose culture falls outside the majority or macro culture. A consumer’s cultural background is important because they consume specific services and products influenced by their language, traditions and other concepts passed down from previous generations and experiences.
To reach diverse audiences, multicultural marketing focuses on understanding those influences and uses them to communicate with the target consumer.
Who Are Multicultural Consumers?
The University of Pennsylvania, explains that “A multicultural consumer is any consumer with more than one cultural or ethnic background or affiliation. An Asian American consumer may simultaneously identify with being both Asian as well as American, and hence may like products that are designed to appeal to both.”
Multicultural consumers are typically younger. Forty-four percent of millennials identify as multicultural, and the group is invariably growing. In addition, almost half of Generation Z identify as multicultural. As you decide who to target and how, keep in mind that age also plays a role in how these individuals think and act as consumers. As a company that aspires to be successful, your brand’s messages are not always going to be perceived with the same emotional zeal as when approaching consumers with a single persona. It’s important to keep up with demographic changes by adapting to the multicultural market. What steps are you taking to attract these consumers?
Multicultural Marketing Strategy Development
Follow these tips to reach a multicultural audience with your marketing efforts.
- Use Technology To Reach A Young And Diverse Audience
Embracing technology is one of the best ways to reach younger consumers. Focus on providing your target audience with a genuine, relevant experience through your marketing efforts.
For helpful details about your target audience’s motivations, check which hashtags they use in their own profiles and get helpful feedback for your brand by monitoring their behavior on your website with Google Analytics. This provides you with the data to discover which messages and platforms resonate with them best, so you know how to further target your marketing messages.
- Don’t Make Assumptions About Multicultural Audiences
Don’t make assumptions in your multicultural marketing strategy. Take the time to seek out what your audience really wants and needs.
Even with the analytics you have available, do not pass judgement and start creating your content without researching the community. Do your target users believe your marketing messages are addressing their values and interests? Making assumptions about a diverse market can potentially be harmful and comparable to racial bias.
Topics centered around culture can be sensitive. Use your compiled data as a helping hand to better understand your target market, while also taking the time to do your own research into your specific audience’s behavior.
For example, second- or third-generation multicultural millennials will have different perspectives from first-generation immigrants who faced challenges with adapting to the macro-culture when they arrived from their country of origin.
Minorities in America have varying levels of acculturation, which means your marketing messages may impact them differently depending on their experience. Many multicultural consumers are especially interested in social causes, so tying your brand in with current events they’re likely to care about (as appropriate) is likely to increase their interest in your brand.
It’s also important to note that it may be possible your target consumers are not able to interpret your message the way you intend because of cultural misunderstandings. Be aware of potential challenges and consider ways to overcome them, such as translating your website into a second or third language beyond English.
- Create Empowerment For Multicultural Communities
Strive to create a sense of empowerment for your multicultural audience.
When you reach out to consumers of varying ethnicity, language, age or gender, think about how to create a sense of empowerment with your marketing messages.
Many minority groups are historically disadvantaged, often stripped of their voice in the past. To gain their trust, give them a voice. When multicultural consumers see that a brand is supportive and motivating, they know the company allows wider perspectives to be heard. This leads to a stronger connection with your target audience.
- What Is Your Marketing Strategy’s Core Message?
What is your business’s vision? Clearly defining and explaining your core message is a perfect way to connect to your audience. Make it emotional and inclusive so consumers from a variety of backgrounds feel they can relate and embrace your brand’s core message.
- Commit To A Multicultural Marketing Strategy For Success
Many companies dedicate a large amount of time and resources to ensure their marketing messages are inclusive. It’s your job to learn what’s important to your consumers and infuse it into your marketing strategy. Fostering this loyalty can influence their willingness to advocate for your brand. Don’t underestimate how influential a multicultural audience is — it pays off to invest in multicultural marketing initiatives.
- Include A Budget For Multicultural Marketing Initiatives
Many marketers realize that multicultural marketing is important, but they don’t have a specific initiative in place to reach this important group of consumers.
Take the time to invest in multicultural consumers. If your company develops a genuine interest in consumers’ cultural differences, reaching them through your marketing messages will be much easier. Leading with multicultural insights can help you craft realistic and sustainable strategies that will better resonate with your target consumers.
Do You Need Help With Your Multicultural Marketing Strategy?
Ready to initiate your multicultural marketing strategy? Let Three Girls Media help lead the way; contact us for a free consultation today! We offer a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation to discuss the specific needs and goals of your business.
Special Offer:
Sign up for a complimentary consultation during December and receive an Annual Marketing Planning Guide valued at $475! We offer a 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO, and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs - no strings attached. Call 408-218-2391 or contact us today to arrange your consultation!